Scripps National Spelling Bee To Welcome 516 Spellers To Compete In 2018 National Finals
Scripps National Spelling Bee To Welcome 516 Spellers To Compete In 2018 National Finals |
[22-May-2018] |
CINCINNATI, May 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 500 spellers will have a chance to compete for the title of Champion at the 2018 Scripps National Spelling Bee, to be held in National Harbor, Maryland, May 29-31.
This record number of spellers, 516, comes with the introduction of RSVBee, an invitational program that has created more opportunities for champion spellers to compete in the national finals. The Bee invited 238 qualified spellers through RSVBee. Sponsors of regional bees wrapped up their local events in April, with 278 local champions qualifying for the national finals. "Bee Week is a special experience that challenges the mind and warms the heart," said Paige Kimble, executive director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. "To welcome more spellers than ever to compete exemplifies the evolution of our program and the vast interest from families across the country. With RSVBee, we are leveling the playing field for national finals qualification and providing more opportunities for students to experience all the thrills, friendships and memories that come from the event." To qualify for RSVBee, spellers had to win their school spelling bee or be a former national finalist and attend a school enrolled in the Bee program. Parents applied on behalf of their child and paid a $750 participation fee to accept an invitation. About the 2018 spellers: The spellers range in age from 8 to 15. For the first time, there are two sets of identical twins competing. A total of 113 spellers have previous experience competing in the national finals. Forty-five spellers have relatives who previously participated in a combined 99 Scripps National Spelling Bees, including Atman Balakrishnan, a sixth-grader from Chicago, whose father, Balu Natarajan, is the 1985 Champion. The Bee on ESPN: Tuesday, May 29:
Wednesday, May 30:
The announcement of Finalists is at about 5:10 p.m. (streaming live on the ESPN App). Thursday, May 31: The Finals begin at 10 a.m. and run until about 2 p.m. (watch live on ESPN2; play along on ESPNU; and streaming live on the ESPN App). After a break, the primetime Finals continue from 8:30-10:30 p.m. (watch live on ESPN; play along on ESPNU; and streaming live on the ESPN App). The prizes for the Champion include:
Dr. Seuss's Word Challenge: Related events during Bee Week will include a Word-a-Thon for spellers, their families and fans to contribute to the goal of reading 20 million words; a Dr. Seuss-themed spelling bee; and other activities involving the Dr. Seuss Bus that will be on site during Bee Week. For information on the challenge, visit Seussville.com and register as a participant. Follow along with the zany fun using #SeussWordChallenge. About the Scripps National Spelling Bee: About Scripps: View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scripps-national-spelling-bee-to-welcome-516-spellers-to-compete-in-2018-national-finals-300652698.html SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company | ||
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